Feeder for tanks or reservoirs



(\No Model.) 7

W. S. GRIFFITH. v

FEEDER FOR TANKS 0E EEEEEVOIES. No. 447,406. Patented Mar 3,1891,

NITED STATES PATENT FFICE \VILFRED S. GRIFFITH, OF AMBLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

FEEDER FOR TANKS OR RESERVOIRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,406, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed July 16, 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VILFRED S. GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ambler, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeders for Tanks or Reservoirs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to feeders for tanks or reservoirs for the temporary storage of water or other liquids; and it has for its object to provide a new and improved mechanism for automatically controlling the action of the pump, engine, or other motor employed in filling the tanks, by the rise and fall of theliquid contained in the latter, the pump being stopped when the water reaches a predetermined level and being started again when by reason of the liquid being withdrawn for use it falls below that point, whereby an approximately constant volume of liquid is maintained in the tanks.

In an application of even date herewith I' have described and claimed an apparatus for.

automatically regulating the amount of water contained in the tanks by means of an overflow-pipe emptying into an auxiliary reservoir containing a float connected with mechanism which controls the action of the pump. In the present application I show a different apparatus for controlling the action of the pumping-engine. In this instance I arrange a float in the storage-tank and connect it with a weight arranged within an auxiliary reservoir communicating with a floatchamber, which latter contains a float connected, as in the other case, with the mechanism for stopping and starting the pump. By this arrangement I am enabled to control the pump without the waste incident to the use of the other apparatus or the necessity for returning the Serial No. 358,885 (No model.)

connection, though it is obvious that the pump may be driven by any other kind of motor, the apparatus being then arranged to ship a belt or shift a clutch, as the circumstances of the case may require.

A indicates a steam-pump of any preferred construction. D is a pipe supplying steam thereto from any suitably-arranged boiler.

O is an inlet-pipe leading from the street main or other source of water-supply to the pump. 7

E is a tank or reservoir located at any required distance from or height above the pump.

B is the supply-pipe leading from the pump and entering the tank at the top, bottom, or

side, as preferred.

F is the throttle or valve which controls the admission of steam to the pump.

G is an auxiliary reservoir, and H is a floatchamber having open connection with the reservoir G through the pipe I. The reservoir G being partially filled with water, the liquid flows through the pipe I into the float-chamber H, where it rises to the same level as in the reservoir, as will be readily understood.

J is a float arranged within the storagetank and suitably connected with a Weight K, depending withinthe auxiliary reservoir G. The connection inthe present instance is made by a pivoted lever M, and suitable cords or ropes L N, connecting the weight and float with opposite ends'of the lever. Qbviously, however, a single cord or rope passing over suitably arranged guide pulleys might be substituted.

O is a float arranged within the float-chainber H.

Q is a pivoted bell-crank lever, one arm of Y the pipe B. The float J and the weight K are so proportioned to each other that the former slightly overbalances the latter. As the water rises in the tank, it carries with it the float J, allowing the weight attached to the other end of the connection to sink into the water contained in the auxiliary reservoir G. This reservoir being in open communication with the float-chamber H, as before described, the volume of water contained in the two vessels will always maintain the same level, rising in the float-chamber as it rises in the reservoir and falling in the former as it falls in the latter. As the weight K falls in opposition to the elevation of the float by the rising of the water in the tank, it displaces the water in the reservoir G, causing it to rise therein and in the float-chamber I-I, elevating the float O, slacking the flexible connection between the float and the bell-crank lever and allowing its weighted arm to fall, thereby closing the valve F and stopping the pump and of course the supply of water to the tank. As the liquid is withdrawn from the tank, the float J of course falls with the lowering of the level. This raises the weight K, allowing the water in the auxiliary reservoir to fall. The water in the float-chamber falling with that in the reservoir allows the float O to fall. This float is so proportioned to the weighted arm of the bell-crank lever that it slightly overbalances the same, and the weight on the arm of the lever is made adjustable for the obvious purpose of regulating the force required to operate the valve to the weight of the float O.

I do not intend to be limited to the precise arrangement of parts herein shown and described, or to the details of construction of the parts themselves, as both are obviously capable of extensive modification within the range of mechanical skill without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the pump, the tank and its supply-pipe, the auxiliary reservoir, the float in the tank connected with a weight in the reservoir, the float-chamber communieating with the auxiliary reservoir, the floatin the chamber, and mechanism connected therewith for controlling the action of the pump, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the pump, the tank and its supply-pipe, the auxiliary reservoir, the float in the tank, the weight in the reservoir connected with the float, the float-charm ber communicating with the reservoir, the float in the chamber, the pivoted bell-crank lever controlling the application of power to the pump, and a flexible connection between the lever and the float in the float-chamber, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the pump, the tank and its supply-pipe, the auxiliary reservoir, the float in the tank, the weight in the reservoir connected with the float, the float-charm bei' communicating with the reservoir, the float in the chamber, the pivoted bell-crank lever having an adjustable weight on one arm and its other arm arranged to control the application of power to the pump, and a flexible connection between the lever and the float in the chamber, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the pump, the tank and its supply-pipe, the auxiliary reservoir, the float in the tank, the weight in the reservoir connected with the float, the float-chamber communicating with the reservoir, the float in the chamber, the valve controlling the admission of steam to the pump, and mechanism connecting the float with the valve, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the pump, the tank and its supply-pipe, the auxiliary reservoir, the float in the tank, the weight in the reservoir connected with the float, the float-chamber communicating with the reservoir, the float in the chamber, the pivoted bell-crank lever having an adjustable weight on one arm and its other arm connected with the throttlevalve controlling the admission of steam to the pump, and a flexible connection between the lever and the float in the float-chamber, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I at'fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILFRED S. GRIFFITH.

\Vitnesses:

Lnwis R. DICK, GEO. E. OBERER. 

